A Lot to Think About
by isaacswolfsbane
Summary: Draco Malfoy heads back to Hogwarts after the war to find his perception of some things has changed.


**AN:** This is for the...

_Dream Challenge._

**Baby Clothes;** To see baby clothes in your dream suggests that you are expressing yourself in a more subtle way. Alternatively, baby clothes represent your former ways of thinking or old habits which you have outgrown.

_Elemental Song Quotes Challenge._

**Wind;** _Can you see the changing of the winds?_ -AFI, "Third Season"

_Disney Character Challenge._

**Stitch;** Write about someone overcoming initial beliefs.

* * *

Watching his aunt torture Hermione Granger was agony for Draco. Admittedly he was never too fond of her and had tried his hardest to make her school life hell, but that didn't mean he wanted to watch her get tortured in his own home. He remembered how surprised he was at how strong she was; he knew she could stand up to his bullying, but was sure she'd crumple actually being tortured.

Draco still got nightmares from that night and was rarely able to go back to sleep after he'd had one. He wondered how Hermione had coped with it all, he knew how damaged it had made him and he wasn't the one that had been tortured. He was surprised to see her back at Hogwarts this year looking as strong as she had before the war. There were visible signs of the war of course, there was on everyone, but despite everything she still looked strong.

He spent the day watching the rest of the students that had returned, most of all the Gryffindors. They all looked strong and brave and almost back to themselves. The Slytherins were a different story. They had been affected by the war in a different way; they no longer had their rule over the school and were now being looked down on. Not to mention that being on the losing side of the war had made their lives outside of Hogwarts hell too. The Slytherins just looked weak and run down, Draco suspected that he did as well.

Watching the rest of the school, Draco found he was envious of them. He was envious that even though some of their families had been ripped apart, like the Weasel's had, they were still here and looking strong. What he was the most envious of was the ease with which they spoke to each other now, the war had really brought people together – at least everyone except Slytherin. _Merlin,_ _I'm turning into a bloody Hufflepuff, _Draco thought, adding an unwanted "_At least that would be better than Slytherin"_ on to the end.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Draco muttered to himself, "First I'm envious of Gryffindors, now I think Hufflepuffs are better than Slytherins!"

Draco, now annoyed with his brain for thinking unwanted thoughts, decided it was time to call it a night and stomped off to bed in the Slytherin dorms.

* * *

His nightmare that night was one of his worse; he was being tortured by Granger. He was shaken awake by Blaise telling him to shut up, he'd obviously been screaming, and decided that since he was up he might as well stay up. He let Blaise go back to sleep after telling him he was fine and decided to go to the kitchens. He'd realised last time he'd had a nightmare that this was to place to go, the house elves too sympathy on you and made you hot chocolate and food. He felt better about the situation because he knew that he wasn't the only person having nightmares, the house elves had told McGonagall and she'd allowed them to set up part of the kitchen for the suffering students. As he tickled the pear to get into the kitchen he heard a voice, obviously he wasn't the only sufferer tonight. He stopped when he realised what the voice was saying.

"…and it was just so awful. I don't even like Malfoy but I just felt so bad when I woke up, Winky. It was horrible what I went through at The Manor; I wouldn't wish it upon my worst enemy. I can't believe I dreamt about torturing Malfoy."

Malfoy decided to clear his throat before making his presence known; he didn't them to think he was eavesdropping. He almost stopped in his track when he realised it was Granger, he should have known from what she was saying but the words hadn't sunk in until now. Luckily, he was saved by a house elf he recognised as Minty came over.

"Mr. Malfoy, have you had another nightmare? Would you like to talk to Minty about it? Miss Granger has been telling Winky hers and she seems much better now!" She looked excited at the prospect of Draco telling her his dream; no doubt she wanted to know so she could get the gossip on what the Dark Lord's supporters are having nightmares about.

"I'm sorry, Minty; I just wouldn't feel comfortable talking about it. I'd rather just forget it if that's okay with you?" Draco told the house elf. Hermione's mouth almost fell open in shock at how nice he was being, but she covered it well and went back to talking to Winky.

Draco decided that he'd leave Hermione be, and thanked the elves for their hospitality before making his way back to the Slytherin common room.

* * *

Over the next few days, Draco decided that he would try and be nicer to his fellow students. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he thought it was probably that night in the kitchens. He'd seen Hermione at her most vulnerable that night, even though she'd seemed so strong the next day, and felt sympathetic towards her. He was a mess the next day, he'd got barely any sleep and couldn't shake the feeling the nightmare had given him. Knowing Hermione had been dreaming the same thing made him feel slightly better, but also incredibly bad. He didn't want anyone to suffer from that.

Draco found himself wondering about what he'd been taught as a child; about blood supremacy and Slytherins being the best house and doubting everything. Hermione had been bullied by him for years and tortured by his aunt just because she was a mudblood, and yet she remained strong. Maybe mudbloods weren't all that bad, she was certainly an example of that. And maybe, just maybe, Gryffindors weren't that bad either. His life was certainly changing directions.

All Draco knew was that he'd given himself a lot to think about.

* * *

**AN: **Okay, I know the last part to that wasn't great. I got a little lost with where I was going with it so decided to wrap it up. I'm sorry.


End file.
